13-03-2025
A big appetite for Breakthrough Project's Chavez Scholarship Dinner
Mar. 13—A local nonprofit's annual dinner has grown so popular over the years that it is moving to a new venue and awarding more scholarships to students.
The Breakthrough Project of Lodi is hosting its third Cesar Chavez Scholarship Dinner on Saturday, March 22 at 5:30 p.m at the Japanese Community Hall, 210 E. Elm St.
Event organizer Maria Elena Serna said the dinner was moved from its previous location — St. Paul's Lutheran Church — because there was not enough space in its dining hall.
"It started to get extremely crowded," she said. "The hall was great, it just wasn't accommodating. People were coming in at the last minute, even when no tickets were being sold, and they would have to stand. We decided we had to have a larger place."
Selecting the Japanese Community Hall for this year's dinner was symbolic in a way, she said, as it is in close proximity to Hale Park, which Cesar Chavez had visited in 1971.
This year's keynote speaker will be United Farm Workers President Teresa Romero, who Serna has known for about 20 years.
Romero is only the union's third president in its nearly six decades of history. She's also the first woman to lead the organization.
"We're thrilled to have her," Serna said. "She's the right person to be president because she's calm and a good listener. Teresa has really been at the forefront of so many things that the farm workers have been able to achieve. Her leadership has been really appreciated by the younger farmers."
Romero received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden last year. Her honor follows in the footsteps of Chavez, who was awarded the medal posthumously in 1994.
This will not be her first visit to Lodi, as she and hundreds of UFW members stopped at Hale Park in 2022 during the annual March for Justice from Delano to Sacramento, Serna said.
In addition, to having the UFW president speak, the Breakthrough Project will also be awarding five scholarships to local high school students.
Three of the scholarships will be for $1,000 and the other two will be worth $500.
"It was really hard to decide (who to award)," Serna said. "They all had high GPAs. Cesar was a strong proponent of education. He didn't have a formal education, because he didn't have that opportunity. But he was a big proponent of it."
The evening will also include presentations from Joe Serna Charter School students, as well as Folklorico dancers and Mariachi performances.
Tickets are $40 for general admission, and sponsorships are available for $100 for one ticket or $500 for five tickets. You can also purchase a $1,000 sponsorship for 10 tickets and a table. For tickets or more information, call 209-329-8123 or email breakthroughprojectlodi@
